Brush and method of making same



March 17, 1953 R. F. sEELENBlNDl-:R 2,631,323

BRUSH AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed April 21, 1948 Patented Mar. 17,1953 BRUSH AND METHOD OF MAKINGfSAME.

Robert F. Seelenbinder, Springfield; Ohio, as-

signor to International SteelIWool'Corporatiom Springfield',v Ohio, acorporation of IOhio Application April 21, 1948, SeriallNo. 223370.

2 Claims.'

This invention relates to metallic wool brushes, and particularly tomethods of making such articles. I

The invention has particular application to household and industrialscrubbing brushes designed to be applied to the Work by hand cr bymachine. Presently known brushes, Whether they be for manual or machineoperation, embody a construction in which the metallic Wool filamentsare disposed in parallel relation with the' surface being treated. Incomparison therewith, the instant brush embodies metallic wool filamentsdisposed at right angles to the surface being treated, thereby providinga more abrasive surface which has been found` to be more efcient in useand of longer life.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction as Well asthe method of manufacture of metal wool brushes whereby such brushes maynot only be economically manufactured, but will be more efficient andsatisfactory in use, adaptable to a wide variety of uses, and having arelatively long, useful life.

Another object of the inventionV is to obtain an inexpensive metal woolbrush capable of' good scrubbing action and having long Wearingcharacteristics.

Another object of .the invention is to improve the scrubbing action andto add to the useful life' of brushes of the present class by'mountingthe metal Wool in the brush in such Way as to present the ends of theindividual strands thereof for contact with the Work.

Afurther object of the invention is to obtain a novel method ofmanufacturing the metal wool brush of the invention.

Still another object of the invention is to utilize in the manufactureof the brushes strips of metal wool which in at least some instancesrepresents heretofore discarded trimmings from a metal Wool fabric.

A further object of the invention is to provide a brush possessing theadvantageous features, the inherent meritorious characteristics and themethod of manufacture herein mentioned.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as willm-ore fully appear in the specification, the invention consists of thefeatures of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and themethod of assembly, or their equivalents, as hereinafter described orillustrated in the accompanying drawing.

While for the sake of uniformity and deniteness the expression steelWool is used herein, it should be understood that such expression in- 2,cludes not only steel Wool but other kinds` of metallic Wool, such asbronze, copper, brass, aluminum andthe like.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown the preferredbut obviously not the only embodiment of the invention,

Fig; 1 is a perspective view of a steel Wool brush embodying the presentinvention;

Fig. Zeis a fragmentary cross-sectional' perspective viewof the brush ofFig. 1;

Fig. 3fis avfragmentary plan view of the brush of Fig. 1 with parts ofthe steelwcol removed;

Fig. 4 is a View ofv steel wool fabric showing how strips may becuttherefrom in making steel Wool brushes accordingto the presentinvention;

Fig. 5 isa plan view of a modified form of steel wool brush constructedin accordance with the present invention.

Like p arts are indicated by similar characters of reference -throughoutthe several views.

In the forms of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 23 and 5, strips ofsteel wool are used which are cut from a steel wool fabric mat, afragment of which is'indicated at-l0 in Fig. 4. The fabric mat I0- isvcomprised of manystrands of steel wool libre arranged in closev parallelrelation. there beingv cross-woven therein Wires Il to give thefabr-icstrength and body.

The nbre strandsY running lengthwise of the fabric project as a fringeyfrom the edges thereof. In manufacturingv steel wool mats useful onpressing machines or the like, this fringe is severed from the mat, asindicated in Fig. 5, the severed portionbeing represented as a strip.l2. It is contemplated, according to this invention, to make use of theheretofore discarded strips I2 in making an improved steel wool brush.Also, the mats I0 may be especially Woven for the making of strips I2,in which case transverse cuts are made therein at positions leaving aprojecting fringe of steel wool along one edge of each strip.

The steel wool strips l2 may also be formed by gathering togethermiscellaneous trimmings of steel Wool rovings or filaments, andarranging such trimmings in contacting aligned relation to form thestrips I2. Such use of normally Waste steel Wool has been found lto benot only advantageous in materially reducing the amount of scrapmaterial, but most efficient in the present assembly. A verysatisfactory brush is produced by using such scrap wool and such brusheshave been widely accepted in the trade.

In producing the brush shown in Figs. l, 2, 3 and 5, the strips I2 ofsteel wool, whether they be cut from the mat I@ or formed by acollection of individual filaments, are interleaved with somewhatnarrower spacer or separator strips I3. Thus, a number of the strips I3,which are elongated members made of plastic or some other waterresistant material, are arranged in spaced side by side relation. Thestrips I2 then are placed within the spaces between the strips I3, thesteel wool strips being inserted with one longitudinal edge thereofdownward so that the opposite fringed ends of the strips project abovethe separator strips I3. The projecting strands may be frayed out orseparated if necessary. The arrangement is such that the strands ofsteel Wool extend in a direction at right angles to the longitudinalaxis of the separator strips I3 in such way that ends of the strands arepresented for contact with the Work. At spaced points along the lengthsof the separator strips I3, openings are formed through which tiemembers I4 may be passed. The tiel members I4 are then tightened tocompress the separator strips and `the steel wool strips. The connedportions of the steel wool strips, accordingly, are squeezed between theseparator strips While the outer projecting portions are free to expandin a fan-like shape into contact with adjacent portions.

The assembly of parts comprising steel Wool strips I2, separator stripsI3 and tie members I4 is pressed into place within a case or holder I5.The holder I5 preferably is made of a water resistant, light weight,material, for example, a metal such as aluminum.

As shown in Fig. 5, one r more of the steel Wool strips I2 or a longerembodiment thereof, may be placed in side by side contacting relation toa filler or spacer strip I6. The strip I6 is a flexible material, and inconjunction with the steel wool strip, is coiled to the volute formshown in Fig. and inserted into a case or holder I'I. In this form ofthe invention, as in that first described, the steel wool strip I2stands on end with the ends of the strands perpendicular to the holderand to the surface of the work.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thusprovided a method of the character described possessing the particularfeatures of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but whichobviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions,detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from theprincipal involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has beendescribed in language more or less specific as to structural features,it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specicfeatures shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosedcomprise the preferred form of several modes of putting the inventioninto effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its formsor modifications Within the legitimate and valid scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A metal wool brush, comprising a holder having a substantially flatbottom and upstanding side walls, longitudinal separator strips in saidholder defining channels therebetween, a cohesive strip of metal wool,the strands of said strip of metal wool being arranged in parallelrelation and being cross woven, said strip of metal wool being arrangedin each said channel and projecting above the upper edges of saidseparator strips and the side wall of the holder, the projecting strandsextending in a direction perpendicular to the bottom of the holder, andtie members passing transversely through said separator strips and saidmetal wool strips and connecting said parts into a unitary assembly.

2. A method of making a steel Wool brush, comprising the steps offorming a steel Wool fabric wherein the strands of steel Wool arearranged in parallel relation and Vwherein cohesive strand material iscross woven with the aforementioned parallel strands, making strips fromsaid fabric by cutting along lines transversely of the longitudinal axisof the steel wool strands and parallel to said cohesive strand material,said material holding the cut steel wool in strip form, interleavingsaid strips with ller or spacer strips, said steel Wool strips beingplaced on end between said spacer strips in such wise as to present theends of the steel Wool strands for contact with the work, andinterconnecting said steel Wool strips and said spacer strips.

ROBERT F. SEELENBINDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

